Google Now for iOS has yet to be accepted into the Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Store. This popular app is used for pulling up information that’s relevant to the user’s location.
Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)’s executive chairman, Eric Schmidt spoke at the Big Ticket Summit in India, and was asked about when Google Now would become available for iOS. Schmidt answered, “You’ll need to discuss that with Apple. Apple has a policy of approving or disapproving apps that are submitted into its store, and some of them they approve and some of them they don’t.”
Google Now made it’s debut last year as an app that accesses the user’s calendar info, email, news, and other data all based on the user’s location. Right now this app is exclusive to Chrome and Android operating systems.
Earlier in March, there were rumors that Google Now would come to iOS after a video surfaced on YouTube showing the app in action on the iOS, unfortunately that video was taken down fast. Schmidt’s answer confirms the rumor.
It’s not surprising that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) appears to have no interest in adding Google Now to their ever-growing list of iOS apps. The two companies have been rivals for quite some time now and it really wouldn’t make sense that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) would allow another major Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) app that benefits their competition.
Last year, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) tried to release their first maps application to replace the popular Google Maps but the app couldn’t compare with the original. Apple had to let Google create another Google Maps program for iPhone 5. Despite this, it’s likely that Apple will permit the new Google App for iOS users in hopes to keep iPhone users from ditching the iPhone for Android.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) confirmed to CNET that the Google Now application has yet to be submitted in the App Store.
